As evening approached, the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet was about to commence in the Chaoyang Hall, and everyone gradually moved from the Imperial Garden to take their seats in the hall.
The Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the consorts from various palaces all hurried back to their respective palaces to change clothes, preparing for the evening banquet.
The Cold King and his consort also followed the main group to Chaoyang Hall. After finding their seats, their gazes swept across the hall. It seemed that most attendees for the birthday banquet were present. Only the Empress, Consort Ping, and Prince An from the royal family were likely absent, but everyone else from the royal lineage should have arrived.
Shortly after the Cold King and his consort sat down, a sharp, hoarse voice, like that of a drake, carried from outside the hall entrance to every ear within.
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has arrived!"
Upon hearing this announcement, the hall immediately fell silent. Everyone stood up to welcome the imperial procession.
Following closely, the Emperor entered the hall, dressed in imperial yellow robes adorned with golden thread embroidery of a majestic dragon. He solicitously extended a hand to support the Empress Dowager, who appeared in a festive crimson gown. Behind them trailed the consorts of various palaces, all entering the hall with delicate, small steps. The Emperor and Empress Dowager proceeded directly to the main seats of honor in Chaoyang Hall and took their places.
Subsequently, those attending the banquet hurried to the center of the hall, bowing in unison and paying their respects.
"Long live His Majesty!"
"Long live the Empress Dowager!"
Afterward, seated on the throne, the Emperor, with a grand sweep of his long sleeves, declared with an air of authority and dominance, "Rise, everyone! Please be seated!"
Only then did everyone stand up and return to their seats.
Next, Eunuch Li flicked his horsetail whisk and, with his signature piercing, drake-like voice, bellowed towards the hall entrance: "Announce the arrival of Prince Murong Lichen, the Third Prince of Beichen, along with multiple envoys!"
As Eunuch Li's words faded, Murong Lichen, clad in a stone-blue robe with swirling ink-like vine patterns on its flowing sleeves and a round collar, entered the hall with his three Beichen envoys. They walked with a measured pace and bowed towards the Emperor.
"Prince Murong Lichen of Beichen pays his respects to His Majesty and the Empress Dowager. I wish Her Majesty the Empress Dowager eternal blessings and longevity!"
"Haha, this old woman thanks the Third Prince for traveling from afar to celebrate my birthday," the Empress Dowager said with a smile.
"It is my honor, Murong Lichen, to be able to celebrate Her Majesty the Empress Dowager's birthday! I hope that the relationship between Tianwu and Beichen will continue to flourish in the days to come. Today, entrusted by my father, I have brought a birthday gift for Her Majesty the Empress Dowager," Murong Lichen said respectfully.
Following this, Murong Lichen gestured to an envoy beside him to open the wooden box in his hand. The box contained a string of smooth, dark, and lustrous prayer beads.
Upon seeing the rather plain-looking prayer beads within the wooden box, the crowd immediately gasped in disbelief.
"Your Majesty, my father, knowing your devotion to Buddhism, has presented you with prayer beads he has cherished for many years as your birthday gift. These are no ordinary prayer beads; they are the very beads used by the enlightened Master Lingdeng during his lifetime. I hope Your Majesty will like them."
Murong Lichen's statement stirred up a tempest.
"Heavens, these are the prayer beads used by Master Lingdeng! The Empress Dowager has searched for many years to find these beads, and they are actually in the possession of the Emperor of Beichen. But the question is, are these prayer beads genuine?"
Someone in the audience voiced their doubt, for Master Lingdeng was an esteemed monk, and it would not be easy to obtain the prayer beads he used.
However, these doubters were directly refuted by the Empress Dowager herself.
"These prayer beads are indeed the ones used by Master Lingdeng during his lifetime! I can confirm their authenticity by the purple glow emanating from them, as only the prayer beads used by Master Lingdeng possess the ability to emit a purple light. There is no need for doubt, everyone," the Empress Dowager stated with certainty.
Even Murong Lichen was slightly astonished. He hadn't expected the Empress Dowager to know the secret of the Lingdeng prayer beads.
"Murong Lichen thanks the Empress Dowager for her recognition."
"Haha, Third Prince, please be seated. I am very fond of your generous gift," the Empress Dowager said with a hearty laugh.
Subsequently, Murong Lichen and his three envoys took their seats, after which he nodded slightly to the Cold King and his consort in greeting.
The next moment, Eunuch Li, with his characteristic drake-like voice, bellowed again: "Announce the arrival of the delegation brought by Prince Ji and Prince Kang of Nanzhao!"
As the words fell, Prince Ji, his consort, and Prince Kang, along with two envoys, strode in. They reached the center of the hall and bowed to the Emperor and Empress Dowager, offering words of congratulation and presenting a sleeping mat made of golden silkworm threads, which also astonished the attendees. The Empress Dowager was also pleased with this gift.
Afterward, the Emperor invited Prince Ji, his consort, and Prince Kang to be seated.
Then, Eunuch Li once more let out a loud cry:
"Announce the arrival of the Venerable Master of the Residual Moon Tower!"
As the words were spoken, everyone looked towards the hall entrance with great curiosity.
However, all they saw were four individuals emerge from either side of the main entrance. They were dressed in colorful attire, with a large pink peony flower pinned to their hair and adorned with exquisite makeup. They possessed an air reminiscent of matchmakers and carried large red bamboo baskets filled with various flower petals.
Then, these four young women moved with dainty steps. With each scattering of petals from their baskets, they swayed their slender waists. Although their movements mimicked those of courtesans, there was no trace of vulgarity about them.
Nevertheless, the unconventional behavior of these four women piqued everyone's curiosity to its fullest, and they eagerly anticipated seeing who this Venerable Master of the Residual Moon Tower truly was.
Finally, amidst the crowd's anticipation, the Venerable Master of the Residual Moon Tower entered the sight of all, dressed in a striking crimson robe, also sporting a large red peony in his hair, and holding a plum blossom folding fan. He moved with a distinctive, swaying gait.
Upon seeing the appearance of this man clearly, Leng Ruoli was momentarily stunned. She had not expected Ming Jiuxiao to be the Venerable Master of the Residual Moon Tower, which surprised her.
Even Leng Jinyu was taken aback upon seeing this man. Wasn't this the same man who had fought with the Cold King in Ruoli's courtyard previously?
He hadn't anticipated that this fellow would actually be the Venerable Master of the Residual Moon Tower, a fact that caught him completely off guard.
As the crowd beheld the flamboyant and alluring man, their expressions varied, ranging from mockery and anger to disgust and amusement.
However, most of them directed scorn at Ming Jiuxiao, as they found it utterly embarrassing for a man to dress in such a peculiar and unseemly manner.
But among these people, only Jun Mohan gnashed his teeth in fury and couldn't help but unleash a profanity in his mind.
Damn it!
This sissy had disappeared for so long and now reappeared, it was truly infuriating.
He had truly not expected this sissy to be the Venerable Master of the Residual Moon Tower this time.
No wonder whenever he sent people to investigate this sissy's background, they would be stopped by an invisible hand that severed the clues just as they were about to uncover the truth.
He had spent a long time pondering who possessed such immense capability to obstruct his investigations into someone's background.
If it were him, it wouldn't be surprising.